


Departure from the King of Three

by schrijverr



Series: The Tales of Miekka 'Siren Slayer' Walraven [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Boats and Ships, Gen, Pirates, Queer Character, Sailing, Sailors, Sea Faring, Self-Sacrifice, Sirens, i love my little bastard, jumping off a ship, mention of violence, mentioned loss of limb, sea shanty, theyre v epic, why not you know?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:01:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29308470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schrijverr/pseuds/schrijverr
Summary: How Miekka left theKing of Three.What really happened, what they told, and what was remembered
Series: The Tales of Miekka 'Siren Slayer' Walraven [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2142624





	1. The Truth

**Author's Note:**

> You can also find this work on my tumblr, which is @schrijverr as well. Hope you pop in and say hi, cause I'd love to talk to y'all!!

Everyone aboard the _King of Three_ had been thrumming with nervous energy. It was not for nothing of course, since the shorter trading route meant that they were inching ever closer to The Reef. The Reef was not just a reef, it had earned the capitalization with the blood of many sailors, for the sirens home was on the reef and they were always looking for a prey.

Still, the crew worked silently during the day as the horizon crept closer, but whispers passed under the cover of the dark. More experienced sailors spoke about rows of teeth in which you could disappear and shadows that wouldn’t rest until they had tasted blood, following ships over the edge of the earth.

Needless to say that tensions were running high when the sun rose one morning over more than just the blue seas.

The Captain knew that he needed his crew in working order if they were going to make it out and called everyone together. There he said: “I know you are all tense, but this is completely safe. The Company would not put you all in unnecessary danger.”

“Unless it can save them a penny.” Miekka heard Bertrand beside them cough.

It didn’t seem like the Captain had noticed, since he was still going on: “You will all be provided with earplugs then we’ll just pass that reef and go. It will be just like any other day.”

Miekka noted how he didn’t touch on the lack of communication there would be without anyone being able to hear nor the rumors of the sirens following those they had failed to take.

Afterwards they were indeed all given earplugs to wear, but they were cheap and would need more to be completely safe. Fucking Company, Miekka thought. They looked at Bertrand who was looking as displeased as they felt at his own earplugs. The thought was obvious on everyone's faces: they were going to die here.

A plan started to form in Miekkas brain. It was completely stupid and doomed to fail, but it felt better than whatever this was. They couldn’t stand the tension and not being able to do anything.

They tapped Bertrand on the shoulder and said: “Here, take these.”

Bertrand looked confused at their extended hand and raised a brow at them: “Yer gonna need those, they keep ya safe. I reckon that’ll be quite handy.”

“Oh, come on, my dear Bertrand. Live for the adventure, or beautiful ladies who shall sing for me in this case.” Miekka made grand gestures while they spoke, “They shall love me for eternity or I shall conquer their call and slay them.”

“Miekka, I appreciate the sentiment, but yer not gonna be immune to them, it’s just not gonna happen.” Bertrand told them, “They’re sirens, they will kill ya.”

“Not if I kill them first, I am the best and I will not be taken down so easily.” Miekka tried to argue.

“I’m not taking those from ya.” Bertrand denied their offer, not even blinking or considering their bullshit.

So this was not going to work, plan B, it would seem. They let their shoulders sag and said: “Aright, you have defeated me. I must confess to you that I might have another pair that will fare better against the sirens call that we will face. So, please accept me offering to aid you in our mutual survival of horrid planning by our Company overlords.”

“Fuckin’ idiot, tha’s what you are. Ya should’ve led with tha’.” Bertrand told them with a small shove, taking the earplugs.

Miekka grinned, but before they could reply the First Mate was yelling at them to get the fuck to work, which they quickly did. Bertrand did not notice how Miekka didn’t slip in any earplugs, the lie had slipped past him.

They silently congratulated themself on the success as they turned back to their task.

It was eerily quiet aboard the King of Three as The Reef came closer and closer. Where before someone would carefully take out an earplug to yell at someone, they now all gestured wildly in a game of high stakes charade.

The others couldn’t know they weren’t in range yet, but Miekka was waiting for a faint singing to be heard. They felt slightly guilty towards Bertrand, he was already quite sensitive and they knew he would agonize over their demise.

But they had made up their mind. This was the way it was supposed to be. Unlike everyone else on that ship Miekka did not have anyone waiting for them at the home port. They were just a cog in the machine of the Company and would be easily replaced.

Yes, Miekka was simply the best choice.

They would rather throw the Captain overboard and offer him to the sirens to ensure their safety, but he was safely cushioned in his plushy office, so no luck there. Besides, Bertrand might not be the wordiest out there, but he’d write them a song. Mayhaps even with their name in it, a song to be remembered.

It had to be them and who knows, they might survive it too. They were tough. It was an idiotic thought, but it helped with the tension lacing their shoulder as they awaited their faith.

A few knots further and Miekka heard the first voice softly drifting over the wind. They fought down the instinct to react and tried to carry on with their usual work as more voices joined the deathly chorus.

Miekka was really struggling to focus now and they were pretty sure they were distracting Bertrand as well with how they were looking up, shaking their head and not being productive in the slightest manner, but they wanted to be closer before they jumped. The ship needed get past.

In their ears voices swirled, promising them greatness, their name in books, people who cared enough to remember their name. A glorious battle with them as the hero.

It was all right there.

They looked at The Reef, which was now visible. They know it was not real, a rational part of their brain was telling them it was not real, but that didn’t stop their eyes from drifting over to that shiny future that could be theirs so beautifully on display.

The thing so precious and tantalizing to them, right there within reach. They could feel how they were breaking with each passing second. They had stopped working altogether and they could feel the eyes of their fellow mates on them as they watched them just stand there.

Bertrand was starting to put together what was happening. His eyes grew wide and he started to make his way over to them, hands already going to his ears.

That was the last push.

Miekka was scared, of course they were, they were freaking terrified, but they could not fail Bertrand, he had an expecting wife and a husband waiting for him. Miekka had met them and they didn’t deserve to loose Bertrand.

They had to give in and how bad was that really? How bad could it be to go to the place those voices promised them? 

After all, the sirens would not chase a ship they had already profited from. If they went, the crew would be safe. It didn’t matter that they would save the “precious” cargo as well, the Company already took so much from everyone aboard that ship, Miekka would not let them take more good sailors than necessary, not those who’d supported them.

Their feet started to move as if controlled, which wasn’t far from the truth, as the slowly fading rational part of their mind yelled at the feet not to do it.

They walked to the railing, going faster and faster as Bertrand followed them, desperate to outrun him, to fly to their destiny. Miekka hit the railing and dove right over it, plunging into the cold sea while the others watched them go with baffled expressions.

No one followed.

No one had their back in the cold water that they assumed would be their tomb. They just watched as they started to swim away, yells falling on the deaf ears of the only person who could hear, but not listen.

There was no bright future waiting for them, just teeth as sharp as the rocks surrounding them. 

Miekka got snapped out of it, it was hard to stay in a fantasy when ones arm is being torn off. They fought too, tried to avoid going down for as long as possible while the _King of Three_ disappeared into the distance, unharmed.

They had succeeded, that was the most important, they thought. They would go down in the history of their fellow mates as a savior, maybe they’d think of them during harsh times, ask them to come save them once more.

If they focused, they could almost hear someone call out to them, though they did not seem to know their name.

Somewhere far outside of them a gunshot rang and their world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also made Bertrand up for this real quick and now I am attached. I will try to make sure he and his partners will return at some point.
> 
> (yes, the Company wanted to save money by taking a more dangerous route past The Reef and skimmed on the costs of good earplugs. We are anti-capitalist in this house.)


	2. The Bar

They sat in the middle of the bar, a group surrounding their table as the gestured with their wooden jug filled to the brim, spilling at the more exciting details of their tale: 

“So there we were, right next The Reef, yes, my friends, The Reef. The Captain had made a grave mistake and we were heading straight to our doom. A call so tantalizing for most. However, I am not most.”

The person checked to see if everyone was still hanging onto their every word as they went on.

“I alone was not called by these terrible creatures that take the flesh of the unfortunate sailors for their own. To eat. To take. They do not leave until they have their taste of blood and I knew none of my mates would be able to survive such encounter.”

“What happened then?” a younger, more impressionable sailor asked.

They grinned, teeth glinting, as they said: “I jumped overboard.”

Uproar came over the listeners as they tried to accuse the storyteller of lying, that no one came back from that or that it could never had been voluntarily. One man heckled: “Prove it, if you’re all that tough.”

It seemed like that had been what they were waiting on. They slammed down their drink and offered a hand to arm wrestle, the fingers whirring with machinery as they wiggled them challengingly: “If you can beat me, you can tear my story down, good man.”

The man didn’t take them up on the offer and they continued talking: “Where was I? Ah, yes. Here I was in the middle of the cold ocean with my only destination a reef filled with sharp teeth waiting to taste my flesh. There was no turning back as my ship sailed onwards, no one brave enough to follow me.”

“Or foolish.” someone commented, it went ignored.

“My feet hit the first rocks of the reef and with them firmly on the ground, I drew my blade, ready to take on any of the sirens idiotic enough to think they could overpower me.” they waited a beat for dramatic effect, “And idiots, there were.”

They had grabbed their jug again and used it as they described how they took down one siren after the other, each feistier than the last.

“Alas, not all good things are meant to last and when ten ganged up on me,” they took a sip sadly, “they ripped my arm of.”

The younger sailor from earlier gasped.

“But that was to their determent.” they livened up a once more, “All were so focused on the taste of my fresh blood in their mouths that they did not see me get up and grab my sword with my other hand. I crept up behind them. And severed all their heads with a single mighty strike.”

Their story came to a crescendo with that and they paused before going on with a lighter tone: “Those who had seen what happened to their fellow sirens stayed down below the surface, not showing their faces, knowing what I could do to them. I stood there for three days and three nights, before another ship showed up.”

“Another ship?” there was a bit of confusion at the table and, going off the persons face, they were living for it.

“It was named _Queen Herman_ , mayhaps you’ve heard of it.” they told their listeners.

There were whispers all around as people double checked if it really was the name of the siren hunter pirate ship that had vanished two years back, shrouded in mystery and legend.

“I served alongside those brave hunters for many years, they gave me my arm and the name Siren Slayer.” they went on, pretending they hadn’t noticed the chaos at the name they’d dropped, “You sit one hunt out and suddenly they’re all gone. Only thing I have left, is this.”

They got a gun out of the holster on their belt and showed it to the people, who oohed and aah-ed over the very clear inscription that had matched those infamous hunters.

“I still don’t believe it.” the man from earlier said, crossing his arms, “There is just no way that’s all true.”

They raised a brow at him and holstered their gun as they set one foot on the table to lean over him threatening: “These boots are not just made for walking, my friend, they’re made for fighting,” getting a knife out of their boot, they held it up the face of the man, who had questioned them, with a raised brow and asked: “Want to find out how good they work?”

The man swallowed and shook his head, not taking them up on the offer. Immediately their demeanor changed again as they grabbed their jug for a toast.

“To adventure, to me and to the great deeds I did and shall do. People will remember me, my friends, I shall have tales told and songs sung that will last through the ages. Cheers!” more people joined them as they drank their jugs as quick as they could.

“Another round.” they said, getting support, “I am Miekka, the Siren Slayer. You better remember that name, for you may never know when you want to call for my aid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're a liar and I love that for them.
> 
> Are they partially based on Seahawk? Maybe. I just love how dramatic he is and I have adopted it, but then more lies and illusions of grandeur.


	3. The Song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is on the beat/melody of _Wellerman_

**Sirens Fight**

_There once was a ship that put to sea_   
_The name of the ship was the King of Three_   
_The winds blew up, her bow dipped down_   
_O blow, my bully boys, blow_

_Soon may the Sirens come_   
_To bring us sadness, death then some_   
_One day, when the battle is done_   
_They’ll take their leave and go_

_They had not been two weeks from shore_   
_When down on them their singing bore_   
_The Captain called all hands and swore_   
_We’d pass The Reef and go_

_Soon may the Sirens come_   
_To bring us sadness, death then some_   
_One day, when the battle is done_   
_They’ll take their leave and go_

_Before the boat had hit the water_   
_Miekka jumped equipped for slaughter_   
_All hands to the side, thought they’d lost them_   
_When they dived down below_

_Soon may the Sirens come_   
_To bring us sadness, death then some_   
_One day, when the battle is done_   
_They’ll take their leave and go_

_No line was cut, no hand was freed_   
_They were on their own, no one to lead_   
_But they belonged to the landman's breed_   
_They left the ship alone_

_Soon may the Sirens come_   
_To bring us sadness, death then some_   
_One day, when the battle is done_   
_They’ll take their leave and go_

_For forty days, or even more_   
_The fight was rough, then calm once more_   
_Their limb was lost, there were only four_   
_But still that clash did go_

_Soon may the Sirens come_   
_To bring us sadness, death then some_   
_One day, when the battle is done_   
_They’ll take their leave and go_

_As far as I've heard, the fight's still on_   
_The scorn’s not cut and sirens not gone_   
_The Slayers-one makes their regular call_   
_To encourage the landsman, crew to brawl_

_Soon may the Sirens come_   
_To bring us sadness, death then some_   
_One day, when the battle is done_   
_They’ll take their leave and go_

_Soon may the Sirens come_   
_To bring us sadness, death then some_   
_One day, when the battle is done_   
_They’ll take their leave and go_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Bertrand did write them a song. Is it unrealitic for him to have some of this information? Yes. But rumors fly and maybe he just wanted to believe. Who knows.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always happy to talk about Miekka, so if you have questions, leave them in the comments!
> 
> Kudos and Comments make my day, so thank you all so much for leaving any if you did!


End file.
